Update #128

Dave walked! During PT yesterday, Fran asked Dave if he wanted to try taking a step or two while holding onto the parallel bars. So he took one...then another...then walked the whole length of the parallel bars! Then, he did it again! It is impossible to describe...yeah...exciting...Dave is walking! Little at a loss for words... :-)

Dave is also, as of yesterday, tube free (at least during the day)! On Monday, all of the wound vac suction tubes disappeared, leaving only his feeding tube. Yesterday, in order to increase Dave's appetite, Dr. Weintz decided to increase his tube feed and have it on only from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Otherwise, Dave is on his own to eat what he wants during the day without the tube feed (sidenote: if he doesn't have the appetite to eat enough, the nurses will give him bolus feeds to supplement during the day). All of this means that Dave can now maneuver in his wheelchair, get in and out of bed, get dressed, and basically live life unattached (to his tubes - he's still stuck with me)! :-)

This week has been incredible, and we have heard over and over again from nurses, doctors, therapists and aides what amazing progress that Dave has made (not that we didn't know that already). Dave's energy is up, his nausea is down, he's eating more (Carabbas Italian and Graeter's ice cream last night), he's sleeping better, his lungs are clearer, he's smiling more - he's becoming more and more Dave every minute.

I'm sure I don't say it often enough, but on behalf of Dave, myself and his family, thank you to everyone for your continued prayers. Almost every day, I get an email or read a comment from someone that I didn't even know knew about Dave and his accident. In the midst of your own crazy lives, more than five months later, you take the time not only to pray but to let us know that you are doing so. I really wish you all could be here to see the progress and hang out with Dave, but I hope the updates continue to help make you feel like you are here experiencing this with us.